Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens tariffs on UK over digital services tax — President Trump threatened to impose "a big tariff" on the UK if it does not drop its 2% digital services tax on US technology companies. Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said the tax unfairly targets American tech giants and that the US would "reciprocate by putting something on that's equal or greater than what they're doing." The UK government responded Friday that it does not intend to scrap the tax, calling it "hugely important" to ensure large businesses pay their fair share.

Supporting reports

• Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation donated $2 million to Trump Super PAC amid Interior Department influence effort — The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a California tribe, made a $2 million donation to MAGA Inc., Trump's Super PAC, in March 2026. According to internal Trump administration documents obtained by Popular Information, the donation appears designed to influence the Interior Department's regulatory decisions affecting the tribe's casino business. The donation represents a potential quid pro quo arrangement linking tribal financial support to federal policy outcomes.

Supporting reports

• Deputy Defense Secretary Feinberg consolidates control over Pentagon shipbuilding and acquisitions — Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, a private-equity billionaire and close ally of Defense Secretary Hegseth, is consolidating control over shipbuilding and Navy acquisitions—roles traditionally held by the Secretary of the Navy. Feinberg is simultaneously overseeing the newly created Economic Defense Unit (EDU), which directs government investment in private defense contractors and has negotiated deals for the government to take equity stakes in those businesses.

Supporting reports

• CDC blocked publication of report demonstrating COVID-19 vaccine efficacy — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention blocked publication of a scientific report in its own journal showing the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to reporting by The Washington Post. The blocked report found that the COVID-19 vaccine reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits among healthy adults during winter 2025–2026. The suppression of peer-reviewed vaccine efficacy data represents a departure from standard scientific publication practices and raises questions about political interference in public health communication.

Supporting reports

• U.S. military munitions stockpiles depleted by Iran war — The New York Times reported that the U.S. has burned through approximately 1,100 long-range stealth cruise missiles (close to total remaining stockpile), over 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles (10 times annual procurement), more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles at $4 million each, and over 1,000 ATACMS ground-based missiles in the Iran war. The Pentagon has been forced to rush munitions from Asia and Europe commands, leaving those regions less prepared to confront Russia and China, and forcing urgent scaling up of production.

Supporting reports

• Howard Lutnick admits only one person approved for Gold Card visa program — Howard Lutnick, a Trump administration official, admitted that only one person has been approved for the Gold Card visa program he promised to sell 200,000 of. The admission reveals that a major promised initiative has failed to materialize, representing either fraud or gross incompetence in program administration.
• Trump administration's "Gold Card" visa program approved only one applicant — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that only one person has been approved for Trump's "Gold Card" visa program, which grants U.S. residency to foreigners for a $1 million fee. At a February 2025 press conference, Lutnick stated the administration planned to sell 200,000 gold cards and Trump claimed the program would help balance the budget.

Supporting reports

• White House negotiates $500m financing package for Spirit Airlines with potential equity stake — The Trump administration is finalizing a financing package of up to $500m in loans to rescue Spirit Airlines, which has faced repeated bankruptcy filings and financial distress exacerbated by rising fuel costs from the Iran conflict. In exchange for federal funds, the government would receive warrants for a potential equity stake in the airline. Trump publicly stated support for federal aid to preserve the carrier's 14,000 jobs. White House spokesperson Kush Desai blamed the Biden administration for blocking Spirit's 2024 merger with JetBlue on antitrust grounds.
• Trump administration negotiates $500 million Spirit Airlines bailout — The Trump administration is reportedly close to a $500 million loan deal to bail out Spirit Airlines, which faces bankruptcy due to elevated fuel costs from Trump's own military campaign. In return, the government would receive warrants for a significant equity stake in the airline—as much as 90% according to early reports. This follows the administration taking stakes in Intel and various rare earth companies.
• Trump administration entered advanced talks for Spirit Airlines financing package — The Trump administration engaged in advanced negotiations for a financing package to prevent Spirit Airlines from liquidating. The deal could include $500 million in government financing and potentially grant the government an equity stake in the carrier. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the architect of the deal, argued to Trump it could save jobs and boost GOP prospects in midterms. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy raised concerns that a bailout could be a political nightmare and questioned what the government would gain. Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton publicly opposed the deal as poor use of taxpayer dollars.

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• Trump administration grants oil and gas industry exemption from endangered species laws in Gulf of Mexico — The Trump administration, amid the Iran war, provided the oil and gas industry with an exemption from endangered species laws in the Gulf of Mexico. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the exemption, stating it was necessary for energy independence and economic resilience. Environmental groups are also suing to overturn this "god squad" rescinding of endangered species protections, warning the exemption could doom the Rice's whale, a species found only in the Gulf that lost approximately one-fifth of its population after the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Supporting reports

• Trump energy secretary acknowledges gas prices unlikely to fall below $3 per gallon until 2027 — Chris Wright, US Secretary of Energy, told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that gasoline prices might not return below $3 per gallon until 2027, contradicting earlier statements and Trump's campaign promise of sub-$2 gas. Wright acknowledged uncertainty about timing while maintaining prices have "likely peaked." Gas prices had climbed to $3.98 in late March and stabilized above $4 in April following US-Iran military escalation, with 67–68% of the public disapproving of Trump's handling of the war and inflation.
• Trump criticized Energy Secretary Chris Wright over gas price statements — President Trump publicly disagreed with Energy Secretary Chris Wright's CNN statement that gas prices may not return below $3 per gallon until next year—after the November midterm elections. Trump told The Hill he believes Wright is "totally wrong" on the assessment. Wright had previously told Semafor that prices would remain "high and maybe even rising" until meaningful ship traffic returns to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump had earlier promised gas prices would quickly normalize once the Iran conflict ended.
• Trump Energy Secretary states gas prices may not recover until 2027 — Trump's Energy Secretary publicly stated that gas prices may not recover until 2027. Trump responded by calling the Energy Secretary "totally wrong," contradicting his own cabinet member's assessment. The public disagreement signals internal discord over economic forecasting and energy policy.

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• Trump administration approves BP's Kaskida ultra-deepwater oil drilling project in Gulf of Mexico — The Trump administration's Interior Department approved BP's $5 billion Kaskida project, an ultra-deepwater oil drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico that will drill 6,000 feet into water and extend 6 miles into the seabed—deeper than Mount Everest's height. The project is expected to extract 80,000 barrels of oil daily from six wells starting in 2029. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit on the 16th anniversary of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, alleging the project poses catastrophic environmental and community risks and that BP has failed to demonstrate safe drilling capabilities or adequate containment measures for potential spills of up to 4.5 million barrels.

Supporting reports

• Department of Labor moves to rewrite or repeal 60+ workplace regulations — The Department of Labor under Chavez-DeRemer moved to rewrite or repeal more than 60 workplace regulations, including minimum wage requirements for homecare workers and people with disabilities, rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines, lighting requirements for construction sites, and seat belt requirements for agriculture workers in employer-provided transportation. The rollbacks drew condemnation from union leaders and workplace safety experts.

Supporting reports

• U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve released at highest rate since 2022 — The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 4.2 million barrels in the past week—the largest weekly drop since 2022 when releases were made to counter the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Oil market analyst Gregory Brew for Eurasia Group predicted that draws would continue at an "epic" rate of approximately 10 million barrels per week through June. The releases appear designed to lower gas prices ahead of the November midterm elections.

Supporting reports

• Major news outlets omit Kushner conflict of interest from 97% of Iran diplomacy coverage — Analysis by Popular Information found that of 202 articles published by major news outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times) covering Kushner's diplomatic role in Iran negotiations from February 28 to April 19, 2026, only six mentioned his financial conflict of interest with Saudi Arabia. This represents 97% of coverage omitting the conflict. Five of the six articles mentioning the conflict appeared in the New York Times; one appeared in Foreign Policy and was republished by the Washington Post. The Wall Street Journal, AP, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times collectively published dozens of articles on Kushner's diplomatic role without mentioning the conflict.
• Kushner leads Iran diplomacy while receiving millions from Saudi government — Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, is leading U.S. diplomatic negotiations with Iran while simultaneously receiving over $110 million in management fees from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for his private equity fund, Affinity Partners. Kushner raised $2 billion from the Saudi PIF in 2021 and has reportedly sought billions more. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly lobbied Trump to initiate and continue the Iran war. This arrangement presents a direct financial conflict of interest, as Kushner's Saudi payments create incentive to prolong the conflict benefiting his Saudi investors.
• Media coverage analysis reveals 97% of outlets omitted Kushner's Saudi financial conflicts during Iran negotiations — A Popular Information analysis of media coverage from February 28 to April 19, 2026, found that 97% of coverage from major media outlets failed to mention Jared Kushner's multi-billion-dollar business relationship with the Saudi government while he represented the U.S. in Iran negotiations. Kushner's simultaneous diplomatic role and substantial financial interests in a key regional actor constitute a significant undisclosed conflict of interest that received minimal journalistic scrutiny.
• Jared Kushner's financial ties to Persian Gulf governments not widely reported — Major news outlets have not prominently reported that Jared Kushner, the administration's de facto Iran negotiator, has received billions of dollars from Persian Gulf governments. The lack of coverage represents a gap in media scrutiny of potential conflicts of interest in high-stakes diplomatic negotiations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration considers financial bailout for UAE amid undisclosed Trump family business ties — President Trump stated on Tuesday that he is considering a financial bailout for the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally experiencing economic hardship from the Iran war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama, who proposed a currency-swap line to provide inexpensive dollar access. While such swaps are typically Federal Reserve decisions, the Trump administration has previously used Treasury funds for bailouts. The UAE is not a major U.S. trading partner (2024 trade totaled $47.9 billion, compared to $909 billion with Canada), yet administration officials including National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett signaled openness to assistance.
• Trump indicated openness to UAE financial bailout tied to Trump Organization business relationships — On April 22, 2026, Trump indicated he was open to offering the United Arab Emirates a taxpayer-funded financial bailout to offset economic losses from the Iran war. The UAE has extensive business partnerships with the Trump Organization and multiple financial ties to the Trump family. The proposed bailout would use federal funds to benefit a foreign government with direct financial interests in Trump family enterprises.
• UAE requests U.S. financial backstop for Iran war damage — Officials from the United Arab Emirates asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Treasury and Federal Reserve officials whether the U.S. will provide a financial backstop for the UAE if the Iran war continues to damage its economy.
• UAE warns Trump administration of dollar destabilization risk — The United Arab Emirates quietly warned the Trump administration that if the Iran conflict is not resolved, it will face dollar destabilization. The warning represents a private diplomatic signal from a key Gulf ally regarding economic consequences of prolonged conflict.

Supporting reports

• Regulators examined suspicious trades before Trump market announcements — Regulators are examining suspicious trades that occurred just before Trump's announcement regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Similar trades from one of Trump's announcements last month are also under regulatory scrutiny. The timing of massive trades immediately preceding Trump's market-moving announcements suggests potential insider trading or market manipulation.
• Potential insider trading pattern in oil markets tied to Trump announcements — WaPo reporter Josh Rogin reported on CNN that traders shorted oil markets by hundreds of millions of dollars approximately 20 minutes before Trump announced Iran peace breakthroughs, with this pattern occurring at least three times since the war began. The Guardian reported that 16 bets of $100,000 each accurately predicted the timing of U.S. airstrikes on February 27, a single user bet $550,000 on Ayatollah Khamenei's assassination moments before it occurred, and traders bet $950 million that oil prices would fall right before Trump announced a ceasefire.
• BBC reports pattern of insider trading around Trump announcements — Nick Marsh of the BBC analyzed the timing of Trump's market-moving statements against trade volume on financial markets and found "a consistent pattern of spikes just hours, or sometimes minutes, before a social media post or media interview was made public." Marsh noted a similar spike pattern over Trump's announcement of "Liberation Day" tariffs in April 2025.

Supporting reports

• Treasury quietly extends Russian oil license — Treasury Secretary Bessent stated two days prior that the U.S. would not renew sanctions waivers on Russian or Iranian oil. Two days later, Treasury quietly extended a license allowing Russian oil transactions for another month via a late Friday night press release, with no announcement, press conference, or explanation.
• Treasury Secretary Bessent reversed decision on Russian oil sanctions waivers — On April 15, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the U.S. would not renew sanctions waivers permitting the sale of Russian oil. On April 18, the administration reversed that decision, renewing the waiver allowing countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products through May 16. The sale of oil provides financial support for Russia's war against Ukraine.
• U.S. Extends Waiver for Russian Oil Purchases — The U.S. administration renewed the waiver that allows countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products, which had been set to expire. This decision comes despite previous statements indicating that the U.S. would not renew such waivers, providing a financial lifeline for Russia amid its ongoing war against Ukraine.